Heart to Heart
by FurrySaint
Summary: A direct sequel to my story 'Valentine's Day Surprise'. Ami returns from Yokohama to hear Makoto's answer.
1. Heart to Heart

Author's Note: This story is a direct sequel to my fic 'Valentine's Day Surprise'. Please read it before reading this fic.]

Heart-to-Heart

Ami sat and-as much as she hated to admit it-fidgeted. The book she had gotten in Yokohama sat beside her, unread. She had tried reading it several times on the way back to Tokyo, but after not being able to concentrate past the first page, she had given up.

_I'm scared. Simple as that._ She clasped her hands in her lap and tried to calm herself and focus. _Makoto's had almost three days to think about things. What if..._ She shook her head._ No. I _can't_ have been that far off the mark. All these years... All the little hints..._

She had called Makoto the night before, but Makoto had been heading out for a night class and they hadn't had time to do more than exchange pleasantries and for Ami to tell her when her train was due in Tokyo. She had called again this morning, but had gotten the answering machine. As she had wanted to talk with Makoto and not just relay information, she had hung up without leaving a message.

Ami looked at her watch, and saw that she had 22 minutes until the train arrived at the Tokyo station. She sighed and leaned her head against the window, watching the world pass by and feeling the _thrum_ of the train on the tracks.

She'd been in such a buoyant mood when she got to Yokohama that her father had asked her who had her so happy. She had stopped and stared at him. He'd just laughed.

_He's so laid back, it's easy to forget he's got a sharp mind as well. That was one of the reasons Mom fell in love with him._

Ami recovered from her shock and, as they drove to his house on the outskirts of the city, she'd told him. To _her _slight shock, it hadn't been one to him. Seems he had mostly figured it out from her letters to him. Ami hadn't realised that she'd gone on that much about Makoto in them.

_Everyone calls me a genius, and yet my parents still know more than I do about myself,_ she thought as she watched storm clouds building on the horizon. Over a rare dinner together a few months earlier Ami had been telling her mother about the Senshi's trip to a newly-opened 'winter park', and when she was done, her mother-with a somewhat amused expression-had flat out asked her if she was gay. At Ami's shocked expression she had pointed out that Ami'd spoken more about Makoto, and in more glowing terms, than all the rest of the girls combined. Ami had just looked down at her now-empty plate as she reran the conversation over in her head and realised that her mom was right. With a slightly shell-shocked expression she'd excused herself and gone up to her room.

For the next hour, she had lain in bed and sifted through her memories of her friends. Now that it had been pointed out to her, she saw how many of her memories revolved around Makoto. She realised that somewhere in all the years they had known each other, Makoto had planted a small seed in her heart. And over those same years, with care and nurturing, it had bloomed into love.

Ami was broken out of her revery by the recorded female voice letting the passengers know they were nearing the station. A few minutes later the train had stopped, and she retrieved her bag from the overhead rack, sliding the book into one of the side pockets. She exited the train and, with her bag rolling behind her, made her way into the station. She looked around as she walked, and it was a few worrisome moments before she saw Makoto waving at her. She sighed in relief and waved back as she made her way over.

"Welcome back," Makoto smiled.

Ami smiled back. "Thank you. It's good to be back. And thank you for coming. I never actually asked you to meet me."

Makoto blinked. "You thought I wouldn't?"

Ami felt her cheeks warm as she blushed slightly, her eyes glancing to the other people making their way through the station. "I...wasn't sure. I meant to talk to you when I called, but..." She looked back at Makoto and shifted the subject, not wanting to have the conversation they both knew was coming in such a public place. "When did you get a night class?"

Makoto apparently shared Ami's thoughts on the matter, as she quickly followed along.. "Ah, the instructor was sick and the person who replaced him could only do a night class, so they rescheduled it for last night." She looked at Ami curiously, "Do I need to even _ask_ if you have my class schedule memorized?"

Ami laughed. "No, you don't. I have everyone's memorized."

Makoto just shook her head. "'Girl genius'."

"Hey! It's been a long time since I've been called that..."

Makoto grinned and motioned Ami to follow her. She paused before the doorway leading outside. "You'd better button up. It's cold and windy out there. I just hope we get-to the apartment before the rain starts."

Ami stopped and buttoned up her coat, amused that Makoto didn't even ask if she wanted to go to her apartment. As she pulled her scarf out of her bag to wrap around her neck, she wondered something... "Makoto? Why the pause just then?"

Makoto had been watching her, and when Ami asked that, she froze and her cheeks went red. She looked around as Ami had earlier, before focusing on the bluenette again."I'll tell you when we get to the apartment, all right?"

Ami's curiosity was aroused, but she nodded and headed to the door. Makoto took her bag and went out first, shielding her slightly from the wind. Even bundled as she was, the cold wind sucked all the heat from her and felt like an ice knife across her face."Wow! You weren't kidding."

Makoto nodded. "And the storm is going to break soon. We'll need to hurry or be soaked." Ami returned the nod and, knowing how accurate the Storm Senshi's weather sense was, she set off at a jog that Makoto easily kept up with.

oOoOoOo

Even hurrying, they ended up running for the last half-block. Rain had begun to spatter them, and they made it to the apartment with no time to spare as the heavens opened up moments after they made it inside.

Ami leaned against the wall to catch her breath as Makoto slid her shoes off and put on the pink slippers Ami had gotten her for Christmas. She set Ami's bag beside the door, and hung her coat up on the hanger just above that. "Gimme your coat and scarf. I'll hang 'em up." Ami nodded and unwound her scarf, handing it to Makoto before slipping her coat off. Her shoes followed, and as she slid her feet into the house shoes, the taller girl headed into the kitchen off to the left from the entrance hall. "I'll have tea ready in a few minutes," she called back, the rumble of thunder echoing her words.

Ami walked into the living room area that was catty-cornered from the kitchen, smiling at all the greenery Makoto kept. There were plants everywhere. Tucked in corners, hanging from hooks, and resting on windowsills. The sliding-glass door leading to the patio was directly in front of her, and even under the cover of the deck above, the rain was lashing the glass. She walked up and pressed her fingertips against the glass, feeling the wind vibrating it. "Wow..." She raised her voice as she called back over her shoulder, "How long is this going to last? I didn't catch the weather before I left."

"At least overnight," Makoto said from the kitchen. "But I think it'll clear off by tomorrow afternoon."

Ami grinned as she turned back and walked over to the short counter separating the kitchen from the breakfast area. "I'll bet _you_ didn't watch the weather report either."

Makoto grinned back as she added tea to a clear teapot. "Never do. Haven't had to for years." She put the tea away and got two cups and saucers ready as she waited for the water to boil. "Kinda like you don't need that coat hanging in the hall. Our Senshi abilities are 'leaking over' even when we aren't transformed."

Ami nodded as she watched Makoto. "Something like that," she said, as the slightest hint of a smile hovered on her lips. The water had just begun to boil, so Makoto turned the eye off, took the pot off the stove, and filled the clear teapot before putting the water pot in the sink. She placed the lid on the teapot, then reached over and tapped a button on a little tea timer on the counter. _I could watch her like this for the rest of my life_, Ami thought, as Makoto turned to the refrigerator. _I hope I get the chance._ Ami's heartbeat picked up as Makoto pulled out the remains of the cake they had made. She was surprised at how little was left. "It's was that good, huh?" she asked with a grin.

Makoto laughed. "Usagi-chan thought so."

Ami froze. Her blood feeling like ice water. "Usagi-chan saw the cake?"

The auburn-haired girl grinned as she sliced the remains of the cake into two somewhat-even pieces, and placed them on two small plates. "No, just ate most of it. She came by yesterday to borrow my calculus notes. I was just about to eat some of it, and, well...you know Usagi-chan. I just gave her my slice and cut two more. One for me and another for her."

Ami slumped a little against the counter, relieved. She saw the way Makoto was looking at her and shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just haven't told anyone else. My parents know and you know. But that's all."

Makoto nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "This _is_ Usagi-chan we're talking about. For all her..." she shrugged, "...flightiness, it wouldn't surprise me if she already knew."

Ami chuckled. "True. And, as you said, this _is_ Usagi-chan. Once she got the facts straight, she didn't bat an eyelash at Haruka-san and Michiru-san." Makoto smiled and nodded.

The timer dinged and Makoto took the lid off the pot to stir the tea with a spoon. Then she put the lid back on and poured the tea into the waiting cups, pouring it through a small strainer to keep any of the tea leaves out. She placed the pot on a heated plate to keep it warm, then put the tea cups, saucers, and cake plates on a tray. She added a couple of napkins and forks as well before picking it up and walking into the living room. She gestured to the couch with a small smile. "Have a seat?"

Ami smiled and could feel the heat on her cheeks as she nodded and slipped past Makoto to sit on the couch. Makoto set the tray on the low table before the couch and handed her a teacup before sitting herself. Ami took a welcome sip of the hot tea, smiling at the scent and flavor. "Rose tea."

Makoto grinned and drank some as well. "Yeah...it seemed a good choice." She gestured to the plates. "The cake's a little dry by now, but still good." She looked at the cake, then Ami. The grin was gone, but Ami could still see a hint of it in her emerald eyes. "How long?"

Ami let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, along with a certain amount of stress. Her hands around the teacup no longer felt like they wanted to shake. She smiled at Makoto. "Years. Though...I didn't realise it until a few months ago."

The auburn-haired girl gave a little embarrassed laugh as she looked down at the cup resting on her knee. "And I realised it three days ago," she said before taking another sip.

Ami set her cup down and took a bite of cake. It _was_ a little dry, but still delicious. She swallowed, then paused and looked at Makoto, her pulse picking up. "_What_ did you realise three days ago?" Makoto paused in midsip as her cheeks went red. She finished the drink, then put her cup down before gathering her hands in her lap. She was looking down into the middle distance between them, and Ami could see her work over the words she wanted to say in her mind. Ami set her plate down. The cake could wait.

Makoto took a deep breath. "I realised that my friend of over six years, who I have fought with and died beside, loved me. I realised that she...understood me, in a way no one else has. I realised that I...that I understood _her_ as well." She finally looked at Ami, who saw tears shimmering in those emerald eyes. "And I realised as we left the train station that I wanted to say 'I hope we get _home_ before the rain starts.'" Ami felt her breath catch in her throat as her heart soared. "Because that's what this is, when you are here." Makoto reached out and cupped her cheek. "A home. Not just someplace I live, but someplace I want to _be_." Ami's eyes slid closed as Makoto's thumb brushed across her skin, and she leaned into the wonderful touch. "And I want to be with you."

Ami brought her hand up to hold Makoto's against her cheek, her blood singing through her veins as what the taller girl said sank in. Her mouth broke into a wide smile as her eyes opened, and bright tears slid down her cheeks. She turned her head and lovingly kissed Makoto's palm, feeling a slight shiver as Makoto reacted to the sensation.

"Ami..."

"Yes, Makoto?"

Makoto pulled her close, and when those strong arms wrapped around her, all the uncertainty, worry, and yes, fear, she had felt over the past few months blew away as leaves before a storm. She slid her arms around Makoto and closed her eyes, resting her head on Makoto's shoulder. "Thank you," Makoto said around her own tears.

"For what?"

"For loving me."

Ami laughed and lifted her head, pulling back slightly to look up at the taller girl. "Loving you is the _easy_ part." She reached up and brushed the tears from Makoto's cheeks. "I should be thanking you for accepting my love." As her fingers slid over Makoto's skin, their eyes met. Emerald reflected sapphire, and Ami's eyes slowly went wide as her hand cupped the taller girl's cheek. She brought her other hand up to hold Makoto's face between them. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

Makoto matched Ami's smile, her fingers slipping through blue hair. "Yes, it is. I love you, Ami. It may have taken six years and a little prodding to make me realise it, but it is the truth." She chuckled. "All those years chasing after love, and it'd been having dinner with me every week."

Ami still held Makoto's face between her hands, and her smile slowly faded as she took in every centimeter of that lovely face. Thunder rumbled through the apartment, and silence reigned in its wake. Ami felt an odd reversal as Makoto turned bright red under her gaze, yet she felt not a hint of blush on her own cheeks. Though this situation was far from usual for her, it was one she had run over and over in her mind many times before. One hand still cupped Makoto's cheek, as the other slipped around and twined through auburn locks. Makoto's hands slid along her back and pulled her closer. She leaned up and tilted her head, her eyes closing...

...Only to have them jerk open as a spark snapped between their lips before they could actually touch. Ami pulled back in-literal-shock, before breaking out in giggles, Makoto was redder than before, though this time Ami was sure it was from embarrassment.

"I'm _so_ sorry! It's the storm-"

"I know," Ami said, still giggling. "When there's a lot of lightning like this, you build up a charge." She grinned and looked at Makoto. "My Thunder Senshi..." She paused and rolled that around on her tongue a little. "_My_ Thunder Senshi." She liked the sound of that. She looked Makoto up and down and nibbled her lip. "All mine." She felt Makoto shiver, and when she looked at her face again, Makoto's eyes were bright as she nodded with a smile.

"All yours, _my_ Ice Senshi."

Ami ran a slow finger down Makoto's cheek. "Ice can burn, you know..."

Makoto nodded again as she pulled her fingers through Ami's hair, Ami heard the crackle of static electricity. "And where there's thunder, there's lightning," she said in a low voice, with the thunder outside counterpointing her statement. Now it was Ami's turn to shiver as a flood of emotions ran though her...

Want.

Need.

Fight.

Flight.

Makoto bent closer and Ami met her halfway. This time, the spark between them was purely physical. As their lips met, Ami could feel the current of their emotions in the kiss. She felt it flow though her, and all her senses came alive. To her, Makoto was a rose. She could taste the rose tea on Makoto's lips, and underneath that the oh, so sweet taste of Makoto herself. Her fingers trailed lovingly over Makoto's rose-petal-soft skin, and even her nose was tickled by the faint scent of roses from the scented earrings Makoto always wore. As the kiss went on, Makoto's lips parted with a soft "Ah..." and Ami saw in her mind a rose unfolding to full bloom. When she felt Makoto's tongue, her own lips parted and she tasted deep of the rose open before her. The sweet sensation sent sparks straight to her brain and for the first time in her life, Ami stopped thinking. All she knew...all she felt...was Makoto...

An unknowable time later, Ami took a deep breath. And then another. Her eyes fluttered open and she realised that her heart was finally slowing down from the sprinters pace it had been beating at. She was still in Makoto's arms, but the taller girl was now lying somewhat back on the couch, her back against the armrest, and Ami was halfway lying on her, her head resting on Makoto's chest. They were both panting like they had run a marathon. When her brain finally cleared, Ami realised that the kiss had progressed to the point where they had been forced to stop in order to actually breathe. Without moving her head she looked up at Makoto, took another deep breath, and said, "It may just be the hypoxia talking, but oh, my _god_. I nominate you for _all_ my first kisses."

Makoto took a deep breath as well, and laughed, then stopped abruptly and stared down at Ami, who felt Makoto's arms tighten around her. "That was your first kiss?"

Ami closed her eyes, made a happy little noise and snuggled closer. "Mmm-_hmm_..."

"I...I thought you'd had at least one boyfriend."

Ami shook her head. "Chess club members do not boyfriends make, sadly." She tilted her head up and looked at Makoto, who was staring down at her like a fisherman who'd caught a mermaid. "_You_ know how I was in school: painfully shy, except around you guys. I kept to myself. Only in the last year or so have I been able to break out of my shell." She smiled up at Makoto and ran her hand along the taller-girl's arm. "If I had realised how I felt about you in high school, I don't know what I would have done. Probably nothing."

Makoto leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "No, Ami," she said with a smile, "you would have found some way to tell me. You may have been shy, but you were no coward."

Ami returned the smile. "Considering all we Senshi have done, you've got a point." She sat up and helped pull Makoto upright, knowing that, as much as _she_ might enjoy the position, Makoto couldn't be comfortable. She picked up her cake plate and as she speared a new bite with her fork, she glanced at Makoto and grinned. She turned and offered her forkful of cake to the auburn-haired beauty beside her. "Say 'ah'." Makoto looked at her and blushed, then laughed and leaned forward to take the offered bite. "What's so funny?" Ami asked.

Makoto laughed while chewing and had to fight to keep her mouth closed. After she swallowed the cake, she replied, "Because the first thing that went through my head when you offered that to me was, 'Isn't this like an indirect kiss?' Nevermind that we just had a _direct_ one!" She laughed again and Ami joined in. Makoto picked up her own cake plate and offered a forkful to Ami, who happily took it. They proceeded to alternate feeding each other cake until it was all gone.

Ami took the plates into the kitchen and put them in the sink, then looked around the kitchen. She smiled at the little touches that made it Makoto's. The 'herb garden' plants on the counter between the kitchen and breakfast area. The photos of the Senshi on the fridge. The sugar bowl with a rose-shaped lid. She fairly bounced in place as a feeling of joy came over her. _I get to share this with her now_, she thought with a happy grin. She _did_ bounce as she stepped back into the living room, nibbling her lip as she saw Makoto on the couch watching the rain. A thought flitted through her brain and she happily followed it, moving over to stand in the open area by the sliding-glass door. She turned to look at Makoto, and blushed.

"Ami? What's up?" Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow.

She blushed some more. "This is something I've got to do. If I need to, I'll apologise to your neighbors later."

Makoto started at that, her brow furrowing. "My neigh-" was as far as she got before she was drowned out...by Ami yelling at the top of her lungs.

"SHE LOVES ME!" Ami could truly not contain herself. She was happier than she'd _ever_ been in her life, and if she didn't let it out, she felt like she'd explode. She did a happy little dance while repeating 'She loves me!' (at normal volume this time) over and over. After she stopped she looked at Makoto, who was staring at her like she'd lost her mind. Her face was already flushed, but Ami felt more blood rush to her cheeks as she looked at the girl who loved her.

"Ami?"

It was only when she saw Makoto's expression change from surprise to worry, that Ami realised that she was crying. She brought her hand up and wiped tears from her cheeks, staring at her wet fingers in wonder. "Wh...why am I crying?" Makoto stood up and walked over to her. Ami looked up at her as more tears streamed down her face. "I can't stop them. I can't stop them!" She was in near panic when Makoto wrapped her arms around her. Ami clutched at her, locking her own arms around Makoto's waist and just held on for dear life as something let go inside of her. The worry and stress she thought she'd released earlier seemed to have been just a small portion of what she had held inside. Her body was wracked by sobs, and as she cried, Makoto just held her tight through it all, as solid and steady as an oak. In the midst of it all, between her sobs, Ami heard Makoto whispering over and over again...

"...I love you, Ami...I love you...Ami, I love you...I love you..."

oOoOoOo

Ami stepped out of the bathroom looking somewhat less frightful than she had when she went in. Once her 'emotional release' nee 'crying jag' had finished, she'd excused herself to, among other things, dry her eyes and blow her nose. She heard noises in the kitchen and so turned that way as she came into the main room, noticing that Makoto had turned on lights around the apartment against the darkening sky. She saw Makoto adding toppings to, what she realised after a moment, was a pizza. When Makoto saw her, she wiped her hands and stepped over to her, placing her hands on Ami's shoulders. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Ami nodded and brought her hands up to hold Makoto's arms. "I am now. I'm sorry about that. I..." She was searching for the right words when Makoto leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, and the words she was gathering just blew away.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Knowing you, you've been stressing for months over how I would react. I'd say you were due."

Ami tightened her grip on Makoto's arms and looked up at the taller girl. "I just love you _so much_," she said, and she felt tears start to well up in her eyes again. Makoto must have seen them as well, because she smiled, tilted her head, and kissed Ami, who closed her eyes as their lips met, and all was right with the world. It just lasted a few moments, but it was enough to halt the tears. As they parted, they smiled at each other and Ami said, "I have found my anodyne. The cure for all my ills."

"Oh? What would that be?"

Ami laughed. "You!" She looked past the blushing Makoto and asked, "So, what are we cooking?"

Makoto let go of her shoulders and turned back to the items on the counter. "Ah, pizza! I don't know about you, but I haven't had anything since breakfast. And the cake doesn't count. It's chocolate. Chocolate doesn't have any calories." Ami had followed her into the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at that.

"Oh, _really_? Is _that_ how that works?" she asked with a grin.

Makoto just nodded sagely as she added thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the lettuce that was already on the pizza. "Yep. And according to Usagi-chan, who I think we both agree is an expert in such matters, _dark_ chocolate has _negative_ calories. Because it's the chocolate equivalent of a black hole."

Ami leaned against the counter and laughed, "Ahh! I see. Well, I'll leave such science to her, for it is beyond my ken." She reached over and got the small bag of shredded cheese Makoto had out and began to add it to the pizza over the tomatoes Makoto laid down.

"Sadly, the crust is pre-made," the taller girl said, "but it just takes too long to make your own, and I'm hungry _now_. The sauce is mine though, and I got the veggies yesterday, so... Oh! I might have some shrimp I can slice up and add to it, if you want?"

Ami pondered a moment. "Hm, no. Let's just stick with vegetables for this one, but do you have some onion?"

"Onion? You know, I've never tried this with onion..." A moment in the fridge and a moment with a knife added chopped onions to the pizza. Makoto slid it into the oven, and then shoo-ed Ami back into the living room while she refreshed their teacups.

Ami went to stand beside the sliding-glass door to watch the storm. "Well, the wind's died down some, at least," she said, as thunder rumbled through the apartment. "But it's still playing your tune out there," she added with a grin. She turned as she heard the rattle of cup on saucer behind her and caught Makoto in an unusual pose. She was standing beside the couch with a teacup and saucer in each hand, eyes closed, and head tilted as though listening for something. Ami knew that pose well. It was the same one she took (sans teacups) when trying to sense something related to her element.

Still with her eyes closed, Makoto said, "The lightning will taper off soon when the sun goes down, so we'll just have wind and rain till tomorrow afternoon." She opened her eyes and completed her trip to set the refilled cups on the table She sat down and picked her own up, smiling at Ami as the bluenette sat down beside her.

Makoto tilted her head back to rest on the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "I have a girlfriend now," she said with a kind of grinning amazement. Then her head snapped up and she turned serious. "Oh, hey. Don't you need to call your mom? Let her know you got back okay?" she asked, before drinking some tea.

Ami felt a slight blush as she picked up her teacup. "Mom knows where I am."

"Oh." Makoto nodded slowly then turned bright red. "Oh! Um..."

"Hm?" Ami asked as she sipped her tea.

Makoto swallowed and looked a little embarrassed as she glanced at Ami. "Where are you going to sleep tonight?"

"Oh!" Ami blinked and blushed at that. In all her thoughts about today, that hadn't been one of them. She set her cup down and pondered a moment.

"I can sleep on the couch."

"I can sleep on the couch."

She looked at Makoto, who'd spoken at the same time, and they both laughed a little.

"No, you take the bed."

"No, you take the bed."

Both of them broke out in laughter before they even finished the sentence.

"_Janken_ maybe?" Makoto asked with a wry grin as she set her own cup down. "Winner takes the bed?"

Ami smiled a little and reached out to take Makoto's hand in hers. Though she did her best to seem calm, her heart felt like it was hammering in her chest, and she was surprised Makoto couldn't hear it. But then, Makoto might be having the same problem... "Makoto..." she said, her gaze moving from their hands to Makoto's eyes. "I don't mind sharing your bed." At that the emerald-eyed girl's face went beet red and Ami was surprised she didn't see steam coming out of her ears. "We don't have to do anything besides sleep...but..." Her eyes drifted down to their hands and back up to lock with Makoto's. "...I want to hold you. I want to hold you when I sleep tonight. I want to hold you every night."

Makoto's eyes went a little wide at that, and her color drained a little more toward normal. She let out a shuddering breath, then smiled and squeezed Ami's hand. "And here I was, trying to be the chivalrous one." she said with a little laugh.

Ami grinned. "I know. But I don't _want_ you to be right now." She blushed as she realised how that sounded. "Ah! I don't mean it like that! I mean...agh!" She let go of Makoto and buried her face in her hands as she felt the blush reach her ears. She heard Makoto laugh, then felt an arm around her shoulders as Makoto pulled her closer. She leaned over against the taller girl. "I'm sorry... I think my hormones are carbonating and it's affecting my brain." She felt Makoto kiss her on top of the head and she relaxed somewhat.

"So after 20 years you're realising you have a sex drive?"

"Weeeell..." She snuggled a little closer. "It's more like I have a Makoto drive..." She said with a little laugh.

Makoto snerked. "Does that make me 'Amisexual'?"

Ami couldn't help it, she let out a loud laugh before covering her mouth and laughing into her hand. She straightened up, and Makoto's arm slipped down to her waist. "Well, I'm definitely 'Makotosexual'," she got out before breaking out in more laughter, which Makoto join in with. After a minute, she leaned back and caught her breath and grinned, "Well, _that_ got rid of the tension."

Makoto grinned back. "Indeed it did."

Ami let her head drop back against the couch. "I am suddenly so tired..."

Makoto tightened her grip around Ami's waist. "Do you need to take a nap? I can save the pizza and just reheat it when you get up."

Ami smiled at her and shook her head. "No, it's just the rain. I'm _very_ relaxed" She looked out at the rain, then leaned against Makoto. "I think you were right. I got rid of a _lot_ of stress earlier. I haven't felt this safe and secure for a very long time."

"Senshi of Protection, at your service," Makoto said in a low voice.

Ami smiled at that and looked up to see Makoto watching her. Her hand drifted up to stroke the taller girl's cheek, and almost unconsciously her head tilted up as Makoto's came down. Thunder rumbled through the apartment as their lips touched. This kiss had none of the desperate need of their first. It was almost lazy. Exploring... Teasing... Tasting... Happy minutes, well spent.

As they parted, Ami sighed. "Oooh... I'm all tingly now."

"Whew. You ain't the only one. I may need a cold shower."

Ami blushed and ducked her head. "Eek... Sorry."

Makoto reached down, cupped Ami's chin and tilted her head back up. "Hey. _Never_ be embarrassed that you turn me on. As far as I'm concerned, it's my body reacting to how my soul feels."

Ami's eyes went wide as her blush deepened, and she stared at Makoto. After a few moments she remembered to breathe. Her hand came up to stroke Makoto's cheek. "And here I thought I couldn't love you any more than I do," she said in wonder as it was Makoto's turn to blush.

"I think we'll surprise each other a lot over the years, Ami."

Ami broke into a happy smile and snuggled closer. "'Years'! God...years of feeling like this. However will I survive?" she asked with a laugh.

"I'm sure we'll figure something out," Makoto replied with her own laugh as a *ding* came from the kitchen. "Ooh! Pizza's done!"

oOoOoOo

The pizza disappeared surprisingly quickly. Once they got the dishes done, Ami helped Makoto with watering her many plants. While they were doing that, Ami remembered something and started grinning. Makoto noticed this, and as they finished, she asked her about it.

"Do you know when I was...well...pretty much sure you shared my feelings?"' Ami asked.

Makoto shook her head.

"Just before I helped you water the plants the other day. We were sitting on the couch waiting for the cake to finish baking, and you called me 'Ami'. Not 'Ami-chan', like you have ever since we met. Just 'Ami'."

Makoto blinked and stared at Ami before looking away for a minute. "My god... I did. And I've been doing it since. I never noticed..."

Ami laughed. "I know. That's what was so amusing. And I've been calling you 'Makoto' since then as well."

Makoto shook her head again as she put away the watering pots. "You'd think after six years of 'Ami-chan' and 'Mako-chan', I'd notice when that changed."

Ami hugged her from behind. "I thought it was adorable. I felt like I went from being your cute friend to, well...more."

"'Cute', huh?" Makoto asked over her shoulder. Ami poked her in the ribs several times. "Ow!" She wiggled free. "Kidding! You're cute! You're cute!"

"Damn right I am." Ami said with a laugh. Then she snapped her fingers. "Oh, just remembered something else." She went into the hall and pulled the book she'd tried reading on the train out of her case. She turned around to see Makoto standing at the end of the hall, and waved the book at her as she walked over. "This is the book I was going to lend you when I got back. I came across a copy in Yokohama, so..." She shrugged and handed the book to Makoto.

"You didn't have to do that," Makoto said, before moving back into the living room and turning on the lamp on the end-table beside the couch. She sat down and looked at the cover. "'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'. T.S. Elliot. Why does that title sound familiar...?"

Ami settled in beside her and grinned. "Remember that musical the University did last year?"

Makoto thought a few moments, then her eyebrows went up. "'Cats'!" She looked back down at the book. "So _this_ was the book it was based on..."

Ami nodded, leaned up against Makoto and looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes. "Read me a stoooory," she mock-pleaded in a little-girl voice.

Makoto giggled. "Are you gonna be a good girl if I do?"

"Mmmmmmmaybe?" Ami replied before bursting into giggles herself.

Makoto laughed and started paging through the book. "Okay...let's see...ah. Here we go. 'The naming of cats is a serious matter. It isn't just one of your holiday games. You might think that I'm mad as a hatter when I say that a cat must have three different names...'"

Ami smiled to herself as Makoto read the familiar passages; she was reading them in the same cadence as the musical's songs. _I never knew she liked the musical that much,_ she thought, regretting now that a rescheduled final had made her miss that particular outing with the rest of the girls. As Makoto continued to read, Ami found it hard to keep her eyes open. The rain and Makoto's voice wrapped her in a warm cocoon and she felt so...

oOoOoOo

The first thing Ami became aware of was the soft susurrus of rain, broken occasionally by a sharper sound as the wind blew it against the windows. The second thing was the warmth surrounding her. Even her pillow was warm...

After a few moments-or maybe minutes-she opened her eyes and saw she was lying on the couch. As all her senses finally came online, she realised her pillow was Makoto's legs and she was warm because Makoto had pulled the coverlet off the back of the couch and wrapped her in it like a blanket.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Ami smiled and turned over to look up at sleepy green eyes. "Hey. How long did I sleep?"

Makoto smiled and brushed Ami's hair with her fingers. "Not too long. About an hour. You fell asleep leaning against me, then, still asleep, you scooted down and used me for a pillow." Ami blushed at that. "At least you didn't try to fluff me," Makoto added with a grin.

Ami smiled at that and slowly sat up. "I'm sorry. I must have been more tired than I thought." She blinked sleepily. "Mm. Still am." Then her brow furrowed and she looked at Makoto. "You didn't stay like that the whole time, did you?"

Makoto nodded and stood up. "Sure did. You were too cute to leave," she said with a smile as she stretched to loosen up muscles that had been in one position too long. Ami watched her appreciatively, admiring the curves and lines of her body. "Don't worry though, I napped a little myself." As Ami unwrapped herself from the coverlet, Makoto took it and slipped it back into place over the back of the couch. "Gimme a minute in the bathroom, then you can take your shower first." Ami opened her mouth to protest and Makoto raised a finger. "No arguments. You're still _somewhat_ of a guest, so you go first."

oOoOoOo

As Ami stepped out of the shower, she wrapped one towel around her hair and used a second to dry her body. The hot shower had relaxed her to the point she'd almost fallen asleep standing up. She was glad Makoto didn't have a traditional bath, where you soaked after washing, because she knew she _would_ have fallen asleep while doing do.

She finished drying off and ran a brush through her hair, then shook her head and smiled as her hair settled naturally into place. Less time fussing with her hair meant more time to study. Or at least that's what she told everyone. Really, she just liked her hair short. She slipped into her light blue nightgown and looked herself over in the slightly steamy mirror. She smiled. _I've never had any real reason to worry about my appearance before now_, she thought. Then she leaned against the sink and spoke softly to her reflection, "And Makoto loves you as you are, so you _still_ don't have any reason to worry, silly." She put her brush back in her toiletries bag and left it tucked into one corner of the sink counter, knowing she'd need it in the morning. Then she opened the door and stepped out, walking through the living room and into the bedroom.

The bedside lamps were the only lights on in the room. Wide windows took up two walls of the bedroom. One set above and behind the bed, and the other on the adjacent wall on the far side of the bed. The deep windowsills of both had several plants on them, along with a hanging plant in the corner between the windows. The bed itself had a solid base with drawers built into it, and a futon mattress. Makoto had turned down the sheets and was adding a second pillow to the bed as Ami walked in. The bed had seemed too small for two people at first, because there had just been the one pillow on it, but now that there were two, Ami saw there was plenty of space for them both. "All done?" the taller girl asked.

Ami nodded. "Oh, yes. Though I hope I left you hot water."

Makoto grinned and picked up her towel and pajamas. "You did. The shower has on-demand hot water. You can take a hot shower all day long."

Ami smiled. "I'll remember that. Don't take too long though. I almost fell asleep in there, and I don't think I could carry you in here if you did that."

"No worries. I won't be long," Makoto replied as she left the room.

Ami stepped to the far side of the bed, where her suitcase sat under the window, and turned to look at the bed.

Makoto's bed.

_Their_ bed.

She swallowed as she felt her pulse pick up. Then she heard the shower start, and, unasked, her brain supplied her with an image of Makoto under the stream of water.

Perhaps she should have taken a colder shower.

She wondered if Makoto was.

She took a deep, shuddering, breath and sought control. "You are _not_ a teenager anymore," she said to herself. _But oh, god... If this is what it's like, I understand Usagi-chan and Minako-chan _so_ much better now_, her self replied, as she sat on the bed. Her fingers slid over the cool sheets as she brought her legs up and tucked them under the covers. She laid on her side, facing the window, and listened to the rain-and shower-for a while. She looked at her bag, then grinned wryly and turned off the lamp on her side of the bed. _If I actually thought I could concentrate, I'd pull out my anatomy book._ Once again, her mind helpfully supplied an anatomical image of a certain auburn-haired Amazon. Ami just groaned and pulled the covers up over her head. _Oh god. Maybe I _should_ sleep on the couch tonight._

Then the shower stopped.

Ami pulled the covers down and listened, trying to hear past the rain lashing the windows. Beating her brain to the punch this time, she let the image of Makoto drying herself off linger in her mind's eye. She smiled and closed her eyes.

When she heard the bathroom door open, her eyes opened as well. She heard Makoto come into the room, and as Makoto turned off the bedside lamp, Ami spoke, "Makoto, wait. Before you get into bed..."

"Huh?"

Ami paused.

"Ami?"

"I want...I want to see you..."

Makoto's voice was curious when she replied, "Okay? I'll turn the light bac-"

"No! Don't. I...I don't mean like that. I..." Ami took a deep breath and could feel her whole body vibrating. It felt like her very blood was electricity. _Oh god, Makoto. This is what you do to me?_ She let out a shuddering breath. "I want to see your body."

Silence.

All Ami heard was the rain. No movement behind her. She couldn't even hear Makoto breathing. Her heart landed somewhere around her feet and she wondered if she'd ruined everything. "Oh, god... I'm sorry!" She tossed the sheets off her and sat up. "I'll go-"

"Ami."

She stopped. Stock still before she could get off the bed. She stared at the window because she dared not turn around.

"Ami. You have _no_ idea how my heart jumped when you said that. Whatever you do, do _not_ think that you're the only one whose hormones are running riot." Ami could hear how thick with emotion Makoto's voice was, and that caused her _own_ heart to leap and jump-start her body buzzing again. "Don't turn around. And don't turn on the light." And then Ami did hear something aside from the rain...

Cloth rustling and sliding over skin.

She looked down at her own nightgown and her body seemed to switch to automatic. She slowly stood up and pulled the nightgown up and over her head. As she dropped it to the bed, she heard a soft gasp from behind her. "May I turn around?"

"...Yes..." came the whispered reply.

Ami turned around...and forgot to breathe.

Makoto stood framed in the light coming in from the window. The night muted all colors to shades of gray, but Makoto seemed cast from marble, and, to Ami at least, far more beautiful than any statue in any museum. _My own _Jupiter de Milo_,_ she thought errantly.

As though in a dream, Ami stepped around the bed and slowly approached Makoto. The first thing she noticed was that Makoto's hair was down from its eternal ponytail, its auburn waves covering most of her back. The second was that Makoto was looking at her as intently as she was Makoto. She let her gaze slide down as she moved closer...

The stark light threw everything into relief, and she could see the well-developed muscles along Makoto's long arms and legs. She was not a body-builder by any means, but her martial arts workouts kept her body in top condition, just as her own swim practice did hers. Being able to let her gaze linger, she realised that Makoto's breasts were not really that large. Compared to her own they were, of course, but Makoto stood almost a head taller than her. Her breasts fit her frame. She was surprised by the dark nipples, though. She'd always imagined pink nipples capping them.

As she stepped close, Makoto's eyes followed her. And as she laid her right hand on the taller girl's right shoulder, she saw those eyes close as Makoto released a shuddering breath. Ami trailed her hand down, and then back up Makoto's arm as she circled behind her. She slid her hand down Makoto's back under that long hair, and as her hand paused at the small of the back, she could feel Makoto shivering and tensing under her fingers. With an iron will, Ami forced her hand back up and let it trail through Makoto's hair, pulling a few locks forward over the shoulder as her hand slid down Makoto's left arm as she finally stepped around in front of her again. Even in the darkness, Ami could see those bright green eyes watching her.

"Ami..."

"Yes, Makoto?"

"Let's go to bed..."

-Fin-

[Author's Notes: This is wank. Pure and simple Makoto/Ami wank. Nothing more, nothing less. If you enjoyed it, I'm glad. If you didn't, sod off. ^_^

This is way waaaaaaaaaay longer than anything I've written before. I literally couldn't stop! I would reach a point where I thought I could stop, but when I read the story over, it was too abrupt an ending. So I just had to keep doing till things 'naturally' ended. Blame the girls. ^^;;

I meant to have this story out for Valentine's Day of _last_ year. I had gotten to the first kiss and my brain just up and died. I had no idea what came next. January of this year rolls around, and I was determined to finish this for V-Day. Well...I missed. _; Only by about a week though! It's being posted so late because of my lack of internet access, but it's been done for a while.

I LOVE my thesaurus. I'm sure that without it, I wouldn't be _half_ the writer I am. While trying to come up with some title that would work well off of 'Valentine's Day' and 'conversation/talk', I finally abandoned V-Day and went looking for something relating to 'conversation'. Imagine my joy when I came across 'heart-to-heart'. ^_^v It works SO well on SO many levels!

Now some annotations:

All my Sailor Moon fics are based on the manga versions of the characters. They are much more serious than the anime ones.

Ami's mom asking her if she was gay: Happened to me pretty much like that. I was telling a tale of a foppish D&D character of mine, and when I got done my mom did exactly what Ami's mom did. Unlike Ami though, I'm straight.

Mostly. _;

"I just hope we get-to the apartment before the rain starts." While _typing that in_, I too paused at that spot. I _was_ going to type 'home', but then I thought that Makoto wouldn't say 'home', because it's not _Ami's_ home. Just Makoto's. And she would think it might seem presumptuous.

Makoto's tea-brewing technique was stolen lock, stock, and teapot from the yuri manga 'Chatting At The Amber Teahouse'. Currently being scanlated by Lililicious. Joe-Bob says, check it out.

Yes, in the manga, Makoto's earrings are scented.

The bit with them feeding each other cake came from the wedding tradition of the bride and groom feeding each other the first slice of the wedding cake. ^_^v

When Ami came into the kitchen from the bathroom, Makoto didn't kiss her because she saw the tears in her eyes. She kissed her because that was the first time Ami had actually said, "I love you."

Be glad I didn't choose a true Japanese pizza dish. They like using mayonnaise. Seriously. It's not quite like the kind you're used to if you live in the USA, but still...

_Janken_ is short for _Jan-Ken-Pon_. Rock-Paper-Scissors.

"Happy minutes, well spent." My fave line of this fic. Perfectly captures the scene.

For those who don't get the big deal about them calling each other their names without the '-chan' honorific: In Japan, the only people who use your name without _some_ sort of honorific are parents, close siblings, and very, _very_ close friends. We're talking 'known you since kindergarten' friends. Using someone's name without an honorific of some kind implies a _very_ close relationship. What honorifics are used between two people will tell you a lot about what sort of relationship they have. (One of my pet peeves is when manga translators/scanlators leave them out.) Wanna know more? Google is your friend. ^_^]


	2. Omake: One Month Later

"Man, college plus work is rough. It's been _months_ since we've all been together like this."

Everyone was seated around the low table in Makoto's living room. Makoto and Minako were sharing the couch, with Usagi across from them on the floor, while Ami and Rei were also on the floor on opposite sides of the table. Ami on the side near Makoto, with Rei on Minako's side.

"I know, V-chan!" Usagi said as she leaned over and snagged yet another rice ball from one of the now-mostly-empty plates layed out on the table. "I saw Makoto last month when I needed help with my calculus. Before that..."

Rei reached over and lightly whapped Usagi on the head. "Hey, leave some for the rest of us!" She quickly grabbed one of her own and started munching.

Minako finished a sandwich and added one of the rapidly-disappearing rice balls to her plate, before leaning back on the couch. "Wait...you went to _Mako-chan_ for calculus help? She's almost as bad as I am! Why not Ami-chan?"

Ami grinned. "Because _I_ was in Yokohama visiting my dad."

Makoto reached over and plucked the rice ball from Minako's plate. "And I am nowhere _near_ as bad as you, young lady!" At Minako's pout, she said, "And I'd remind you to remember whose food you're eating."

Usagi grinned and slipped a rice ball to Minako behind Rei's back like she was passing a note in class. "As I was saying, before that was the winter park trip. Thanks for putting this together, Ami-chan."

Ami waved her hands. "Hey, I just realised that everyone had today off. Makoto is the one you need to be thanking. She made the food."

Makoto shook her head. "Not all of it. You made the sandwiches."

"And yummy sandwiches they are," Usagi said between bites of one. Rei just stared at her.

"How the hell do you keep your figiure when you eat like that?"

Usagi swallowed the last bite. "Fast metabolism."

Minako leaned over and stage-whispered to Rei, "I think Mamoru-san probably helps her lose it." Usagi went red at that and they all laughed. Even Ami, who was blushing as well.

"Well, we _are_ married. It's allowed you know," Usagi said haughtily with her nose in the air, though her breaking down in giggles somewhat ruined the effect. She sighed happily and rested her head on her crossed arms on the table. "God, I love him."

Rei smiled and reached out to play with Usagi's hair. "We know."

Usagi smiled back, took Rei's hand and squeezed it. "I love you guys as well."

"We know that too," Ami replied, smiling at their Princess.

Usagi looked the four of them over and her smile faltered a bit. "I just wish...I wish you guys would..."

Rei shook her head. "It wouldn't work, Usagi-chan. You know that. What we do, and what we'll have to do in the future isn't something an outsider could be part of."

Usagi nodded slowly. "I guess that makes Haruka-san and Michiru-san very lucky."

"Everyone who finds love is lucky," Minako said with a smile, then a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "Hey! Now there's an idea!" Everyone looked at the errant blond curiously as she gave each girl an appraising look. With a grin, she turned and lay back on the couch with her head in Makoto's lap. "I claim Mako-chan!" she said as Makoto raised an eyebrow at her.

"...What am I? Luggage?"

"Nope. My senshi-love!" Minako replied with a smile, before closing her eyes and puckering her lips in expectation.

Makoto raised the other eyebrow, and looked around the table. Rei was staring at Minako and starting to develop an eye twitch. Usagi was looking at Makoto and Makoto could see she was trying her best not to break out in laughter, as was Ami. Makoto took a deep breath and let it out. "Sorry, Minako-chan. Your ticket is invalid. I've already been claimed."

Still with her eyes closed, Minako's pucker turned into a pout and she sat up. "Dammit. I knew that, but I still had to try."

Rei blinked at that. "Wait...what?" She looked back and forth between Minako and Makoto, before finally settling on the tall auburn. "You're kidding, right?"

Minako shook her head. "No. She isn't. I knew it when I walked in here."

Makoto blinked and stared at Minako, then facepalmed as realisation dawned. "Oh, hell..." Ami nodded, having made the connection a second before Makoto, but Rei still looked confused.

"Right, you lost me..."

"Oh, Rei... How quickly they forget. What am I?"

"...A few noodles short of a ramen bowl?"

Usagi snickered as Minako sighed. "I walked into that one. What am I the _Senshi_ of?"

"Lo-wait..." Minako started nodding. "Are you telling me...?" More nodding. Rei shook her head. "You can tell when someone is in _love_?"

"Yep! With the sole exception being anything having to do with myself." She looked sideways at Makoto. "Which means she _isn't_ in love with me."

Usagi quickly raised her hand. "I'm taken! Sorry, Mako-chan..."

Ami grinned at Makoto and sat up straighter. "Well, let's look at this logically." She began ticking off on her fingers. "It's not Minako-chan. It can't be Usagi-chan. Rei-chan seems surprised by it, so it's probably not her. And Makoto said she was 'claimed'. Which means it's not a one-way thing..."

Oh, so slowly, three pairs of eyes settled on Ami, who oh, so slowly scooted over to lean against Makoto's legs.

Minako blinked. "And here I was concentrating on _Mako-chan_..." She leaned toward Ami. "Since when?"

Ami took a deep breath to settle herself, and smiled as Makoto laid a hand on her shoulder. "This _isn't_ something that just happened one day out of the blue. It had been building for years. I realised my feelings a few months ago, and...well, let Makoto know on Valentine's Day." She reached up and covered Makoto's hand with hers.

"She...kinda told me just as she was leaving for Yokohama," Makoto said, picking up where Ami left off.

Rei blinked a few times, trying to process it all. Then she stared at Ami. "You told her just before you _left_?"

Ami blushed and held tighter to Makoto's hand. "I was _scared_, okay? I mean, I was _pretty_ sure she felt the same way, but it wasn't a hundred percent. In math and science, I'm sure of myself. But _love_?" She let out a nervous laugh and shook her head. "I thought it best if she had a few days to think over things. _I_ didn't realise I was in love until my _mom_ pointed it out."

Makoto squeezed Ami's shoulder. "And I _did_ think it over. A lot. All we'd been through. All we'd done." She smiled. "Appropriately enough, I was reminded of snow."

Ami looked at her quizzically. "Snow?"

Makoto nodded. "Light little flakes that, over time, build up into something massive. Over the years there were little moments here and there that built up, until you gave me that cake and caused an avalanche."

"Cake!"

Surprised at the outburst, everyone turned to look at Usagi, who had been silent until now. Minako laughed. "Trust Usagi-chan to focus on the important things."

Usagi ignored the other blond and looked at Makoto. "That cake I had when I came over. That was Ami-chan's cake?"

Makoto nodded as Ami spoke. "Yes, but we both made it. I asked Makoto to help me make it without really telling her who it was for."

Usagi examined the two of them for a minute, a thoughtful expression on her face. No one spoke as they waited for their Princess's-no, their _Queen's_-judgement. Finally, Usagi stood up and motioned for Makoto and Ami to stand as well. They did so, nervously. Usagi took one of Makoto's hands in her left, and one of Ami's in her right. She stepped away from the table, leading them to an open area in the room, and looked up at them with a small smile. "A few years ago, I would have said something about how since the cake was so good, and since you made it together-made it with love-that it meant that you would make a perfect couple." She shook her head slightly. "But love isn't cake. Love is joy...and sadness. It's pleasure...and pain. It's agreement...and argument. It's long days...and too-short nights." She brought her hands together, placing Ami's hand over Makoto's. "Love is easy...but it can also be very, very hard." She looked Ami directly in the eyes. "Ami, do you love Makoto?"

Ami knew she was no longer looking at Usagi. Neo-Queen Serenity stood before them. "Yes, my Queen. I do."

Serenity looked up a bit farther to Makoto's eyes. "Makoto, do you love Ami?"

"I do, my Queen."

Serenity smiled at them and released their hands, which were still clasped together. "Then I am happy for you."

Ami and Makoto returned the smile full measure and turned to each other with tears in their eyes. Makoto brought her free hand up to cover Ami's and Ami brought hers up to cup Makoto's cheek. They smiled at each other a few moments until Serenity leaned closer and stage-whispered, "This is the part where you kiss." They both glanced at her and laughed, the tears flowing freely now. Ami wiped Makoto's cheek with her thumb, then slipped her hand behind the taller girl's neck and pulled her closer, while Makoto wrapped her arms around Ami's waist and fairly lifted the smaller girl off her feet as their lips met...

Minako let out a low whistle as she watched and Rei nodded, whispering, "The Dark Kingdom could show up again and they wouldn't notice."

Serenity turned from the kissing couple to look at the blond and brunette. "I hope you two were paying attention," she said with a knowing smile.

Rei and Minako blinked at her. They turned to each other and blinked again, then turned back to their Queen and exclaimed in unison, "What?"

-Fin-


End file.
